Bruce Davidson began working on his subway project in the spring of 1980. After realizing that the subway was “a dimension of meaning that required a sense of color,” Davidson shifted to color portraits instead of the traditional black and white ones. Davidson’s portraits offer a unique insight into the underground community. They capture some stunning moments in time within the history of socialization in the country. Davidson says the series-connected New York’s culture. The subway decrypted the graffiti in the streets into a secret language. Davidson had to prepare himself physically and mentally for his subjects.
If they said ‘yes,’ it was yes; if they said, ‘No,’ then I knew it was no forever.” Said Davidson. “It was hard for me to approach even a little old lady. There is a barrier between people riding the subway – eyes are averted, the wall is set up. The breakthrough this painful tension I had to act quickly on impulse, for I hesitated, my subject might get off at the next station and be lost forever.
